Document binder for covers with heat activated adhesive

ABSTRACT

A document binder of the type comprising a chassis ( 12 ) adapted to removably receive either a plurality of covers ( 11 ) with associated document pages therein with spines ( 10 ) of the covers in a generally lowermost position or to removably receive a cassette ( 1 ) configured to hold such plurality of covers, and a generally horizontal heated plate ( 18 ) that operatively engages the spines of the plurality of covers to heat same when enganged wherewith in consequence of appropriate relative movement of the heated plate and spines of the covers I an upwards and downwards direction is provided. The document binder has a cradle ( 14 ) adapted to removably receive the covers or cassette with the cradle being pivotally moutned ( 17 ) to the chassis so as to be movable between two positions, a first loading position in which the cradle is positioned in an upwardly and outwardly inclined orientation for enabling a plurality of covers or a cassette being movable of to be loaded into the cradle or removed therefrom, and a second, generally horizontal and lower operative position in which the cradle supports the covers or cassette carrying same with spines of covers carried in the cradle in contact with the heated plate.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a document binder for use in effecting thebinding of a sheaf of document pages or other sheets of paper in aprefabricated cover consisting of a front and rear cover sheet, joinedtogether along the operatively rear edge by a spine. The inside surfaceof the spine has thereon a heat activated adhesive, usually in the formof a hot melt type of adhesive. The spines, and often also the coversheets, are generally made of paper board and/or plastics material andthe spine is usually of a channel shape of a width that varies accordingto the number of pages or sheets to be bound therein.

More particularly the invention relates to a document binder of thegeneral nature described in my granted South African patent No 2001/9532dated 20 Nov. 2001 and having an identical title to the presentapplication. The disclosure in my said earlier patent is incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The document binder described and claimed in my said earlier patentoperates effectively and is highly satisfactory in operation inappropriate applications. However, the need for a yet smaller andsimpler document binder became apparent during marketing exercises.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a documentbinder of the general nature described in my said earlier patent but onethat can be designed to be simpler in construction and, accordingly,less costly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention there is provided a document binder ofthe type comprising a chassis adapted to removably receive either aplurality of covers with associated document pages therein with spinesof the covers in a generally lowermost position or to removably receivea cassette configured to hold such plurality of covers, and a generallyhorizontal heated plate that operatively engages the spines of theplurality of covers to heat same when engaged therewith in consequenceof appropriate relative movement of the heated plate and spines of thecovers in an upwards and downwards direction, the document binder beingcharacterized in that it has a cradle adapted to removably receive saidplurality of covers or cassette containing same with the cradle beingpivotally mounted to the chassis so as to be pivotally moveable betweentwo positions, a first, loading position in which the cradle ispositioned in an upwardly and outwardly inclined orientation forenabling a plurality of covers or a cassette containing such pluralityof covers to be loaded into the cradle or removed therefrom, and asecond, generally horizontal and lower operative position in which thecradle supports the covers or cassette carrying same with spines ofcovers carried in the cradle in contact with the heated plate.

Further features of the invention provide for the cradle to beparticularly configured to removably receive a cassette having a seriesof compartments defined between a series of spaced dividers; for theheated plate to be supported by the chassis through resilient supportmeans enabling it to be vibrated or jogged to effect jogging of thecovers during or following a heating cycle, or both; for the means forjogging the heated plate to be a generally horizontal drive shaft havingan eccentric weight thereon; for the pivotal axis of movement of thecradle to be positioned generally horizontally and forwards of thenearest part of a compartment for operatively receiving a cover so thatpivotal movement between the operative position and the loading positionlifts the document spines off the heated plate; and for movement of thecradle between the operative and loading positions to be effected bymeans of a chain drive positioned on one side wall of the chassis anddriven by a reversible motor controlled by way of limit switchesassociated with a chain assembly.

The invention still further provides a document binder as defined abovein which there is included control means for controlling operation ofthe document binder, said control means being adapted to initiatejogging a predetermined time after the cradle has arrested in itsoperative position in which the spines of covers that are loaded in thecradle male contact with the heated plate; to continue jogging for apredetermined period of time; and to initiate movement of the cradlefrom its operative position to its inoperative position after a totalpredetermined time period after the cradle arrested in its operativeposition.

In order that the above and other features of the invention may becomemore apparent one embodiment thereof will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:—

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation of one embodiment of the inventionwith the cradle in its operative position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the cradle in itsloading position;

FIG. 3 is a side view of one sidewall of the chassis and illustratingschematically the drive mechanism for moving the cradle between itsoperative and loading positions;

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional elevation taken through the cradle, acassette and the heated plate mechanism of the document binder;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail illustrating the manner of support of onecorner of a cover relative to the cradle and heated plate in theoperative position;

FIG. 6 is a schematic elevation similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating avariation applied to a cassette to bind documents in covers that do notextend the full width of the cassette;

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the document binder; and,

FIG. 8 is a schematic orthographic projection of a cassette suitable foruse in conjunction with the document binder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in thedrawings and described hereinafter, the document binder is adapted to beused with cassettes substantially as described in my said granted patentapart from the fact that the wheels referred to in that patent areomitted as being unnecessary and the height of the cassettes does notneed to be selected to enable a top jogger plate to contact the upperedges of the covers. The cassette, generally indicated by (1), andillustrated in FIG. 8, can thus comprise a series of parallel dividerplates (2) spaced apart to define a series of compartments between themas described in my earlier patent. The plates may be interconnected attheir upper ends by an upper frame member (3) that defines the upperpart (4 a) of a sidewall, and at their lower ends by a lower framemember (5) which defines the lower portion (4 b) to the side wall. Inthis construction a portion (6) sidewall is left open, as being the mosteconomical construction, but if required the entire side will could beclosed. The upper frame member (3) has a generally horizontal outwardlydirected flange (7) for use as a handle and the lower frame member (5)has an inwardly directed lip (8) for supporting the ends (9) of thespine (10) of a cover (11) (see FIG. 5).

It is to be understood that the cradle of the document binder describedbelow could itself be configured in this manner in the case of adocument binder to be used for extremely low production capacity inwhich case the covers and associated documents would be loaded directlyinto compartments provided in the cradle.

Reverting, however, to the present embodiment of the invention, thedocument binder has a chassis generally indicated by numeral (12) havinga front (13) that has associated with it a pivotally mounted cradle(14). The cradle is configured with a pair of inwardly directed lips(15) at its lower opposite edges with the lips (15) being arranged tosupport the lips (8) of the cassette, in use. The cradle is pivotallymovable between an inner, operative position in which it is generallyhorizontal and positioned within the chassis, as illustrated in FIG. 1,and a forwardly and upwardly inclined loading position in which thecradle is partially out of the chassis and a cassette can be loaded intoor removed from the cradle by way of its upper periphery (16).

The hinges (17) attaching the cradle to the chassis are locatedforwardly of the nearest side of the cradle and cassette to ensure thatrotation from the operative position to the inoperative position liftseven the closest cover and associated documents off the heated plate(18) that is carried by the chassis and operatively positioned betweenthe opposite lips of the cradle and cassette as shown most clearly inFIG. 4.

The heated plate, in contradistinction to that described in my saidgranted patent, does not need to move vertically in order to contact thespines of covers held in a cassette in the operative position of thecradle in consequence of the necessary vertical movement being achievedby the pivotal movement of the cradle. This being so, the heated plateis resiliently supported in its position by four compression springs(20) positioned approximately at the corners of the plate and by twotension springs (21) positioned roughly midway along the front and rearedges of the heated plate.

A vibratory or jogging movement can thus be applied to the heated platein order to effect jogging of the covers and their associated documentsas and when required. This is achieved by means of a generallyhorizontal jogger shaft (22) that has an eccentric weight (23) and isheld relative to the plate in a suitable bearing (24). A flexible driveshaft (25) connects the jogger shaft (22) with a drive shaft (26) driventhrough a belt drive (27) by a suitable motor (28). The speed of thejogger shaft is typically about 2000 rpm when activated.

Finally, for completeness of description, the cradle is rotated betweenits two terminal positions by means of a mechanism illustrated in FIG. 3that includes a drive chain (29) having its two ends fixed to anattachment (30) fixed to the cradle at one side thereof and at aposition radially remote from the hinge. The chain is driven byreversible drives motor (31) by way of a drive sprocket (32) and is heldin appropriate tension by spring loaded tension brackets (33).Microswitches (34) cooperate with the attachment (30) to define the twoterminal positions of the cradle. The terminal operative position, isfurthermore adjustable to ensure that the cradle and cassette carriedthereby are arrested in the correct horizontal position relative to theheated plate by means of an adjustable stop (35) cooperating with theattachment (30).

As indicated above the document binder preferably includes control meansfor controlling operation of the document binder. Such control means areadapted to initiate jogging a predetermined time period after the cradlehas arrested in its operative position, that is to say, after the spinesof covers loaded in the cradle make contact With the heated plate. Thecontrol means are adapted to deactivate jogging after a predeterminedperiod of time and to initiate movement of the cradle from its operativeposition to its inoperative position after a total predetermined timeperiod from when the cradle originally arrested in its operativeposition.

Control means operating in this manner ensure that overheating andresultant defective binding that is well known in the trade does notoccur.

It will be understood that, in use, covers having documents therein arefirstly loaded into a cassette and than, with the cradle in the loadingposition illustrated in FIG. 2 the cassette is introduced into thecradle so that the inwardly directed lips (8) of the side wall of thecassette are supported by the inwardly directed lips (15) of the cradle(14). The drive mechanism is then activated to move the cradle to theoperative position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 with the heated platebetween the opposite lips. In so doing the lower spines (10) of thecovers engage the heated plate to become supported thereby whilst thelips move further downwards by a short distance to enable this to take.The result is shown most clearly in FIG. 5.

The heated plate then serves to melt the hot melt adhesive in the spinesof the covers and, once molten, the jogger motor (28) is activated for aselected period of time, say for example, 10 seconds. The drivemechanism is then activated to move the cradle from its operativeposition to its loading position and the cassette can be removed andreplaced with another as and when required.

It is to be mentioned that a cassette can be adjusted to accommodatecovers having shorter spines than the full-length between the two lips(8) of a cassette. This is achieved by installing a transverse dividingwall (36) (see FIG. 6) in the compartments so that a shorter cover (37)is accommodated therein with the one end (9) of the spine supported byan inwardly directed lip (8) whilst the opposite end (38) of the coverengages the top (39) of the dividing wall to stop the cover fromrotating about the supported end (9). It has been found that such anarrangement operates effectively in practice and enhances theversatility of the use of cassette's in that covers of different lengthscan be accommodated.

It will be understood that numerous variations can be made to theembodiment of the invention described above without departing from thescope hereof.

1. A document binder of the type comprising a chassis (12) adapted toremovably receive either a plurality of covers (11) with associateddocument pages therein with spines (10) of the covers in a generallylowermost position or to removably receive a cassette (1) configured tohold such plurality of covers, and a generally horizontal heated plate(18) that operatively engages the spines of the plurality of covers toheat same when engaged therewith in consequence of appropriate relativemovement of the heated plate and spines of the covers in an upwards anddownwards direction, the document binder being characterized in that ithas a cradle (14) adapted to removably receive said plurality of coversor cassette containing same with the cradle being pivotally mounted (17)to the chassis so as to be pivotally movable between two positions, afirst, loading position in which the cradle is positioned in an upwardlyand outwardly inclined orientation for enabling a plurality of covers ora cassette containing such plurality of covers to be loaded into thecradle or removed therefrom, and a second, generally horizontal andlower operative position in which the cradle supports the covers orcassette carrying same with spines of covers carried in the cradle incontact with the heated plate.
 2. A document binder as claimed in claim1 in which the cradle is particularly configured to removably receive acassette having a series of compartments defined between a series ofspaced dividers (2).
 3. A document binder as claimed in claim 1 in whichthe heated plate is supported by the chassis through resilient supportmeans (20, 21) enabling it to be vibrated or jogged to effect jogging ofthe covers during or following a heating cycle, or both.
 4. A documentbinder as claimed in claim 3 in which means for jogging the heated platecomprises a generally horizontal drive shaft (22) having an eccentricweight (23) thereon.
 5. A document binder as claimed in claim 1 in whichthe pivotal axis of movement of the cradle is positioned generallyhorizontally and forwards of the nearest part of a compartment fooperatively receiving a cover so that pivotal movement between theoperative position and the loading position lifts associated documentspines off the heated plate.
 6. A document binder as claimed in claim 1in which movement of the cradle between the operative and loadingpositions is effected by means of a chain drive (29) positioned on oneside wall of the chassis and driven by a reversible motor (31)controlled by way of limit switches (34) associated with a chainassembly.
 7. A document binder as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:control means for controlling operation of the document binder, saidcontrol means being adapted to initiate jogging a predetermined timeafter the cradle has arrested in its operative position in which thespines of covers that are loaded in the cradle make contact with theheated plate; to continue jogging for a predetermined period of time;and to initiate movement of the cradle from its operative position toits inoperative position after a total predetermined time period afterthe cradle arrested in its operative position.